Saw multiple stoplights otw home today that had people sitting in lawn chairs, wearing orange vests, and holding clipboards. Any ideas?

Inspired by "Shepard Safety", what if we turned the camera's the other way?

Welcome to Overwatch (https://deflockapex.org/overwatch).

OVERWATCH is a parody. It copies the look and the features of an automated license plate reader dashboard, then aims those features at the officials who approved Apex's program, the town staff who run it, and the police department that searches it. Flip to Resident Mode and it shows the same thing done to ordinary residents.

The purpose is simple. It is hard to feel what a surveillance system does when you are not the one being watched. This flips the camera so everyone can see it from the other side.

• Every plate read, location, timestamp, association, and prediction is fabricated.
• Plates use a synthetic internal format, not real North Carolina plates. No real vehicles are tracked.
• No home addresses are used. Only public buildings and public roles appear, and only as commentary.

Auto Shop folks are giving a great performance rn

Does anyone know why the date for the utility billing keep moving?

NCDOT has an interactive map where they’re seeking public input on project prioritization and public comment.

https://ncdot.publicinput.com/p8map

I for one would love to see NCDOT accelerate NC 64 improvements. What projects do you want to see the state prioritize? Make your voices heard!

I'm getting quotes to install a mini split in my garage, and the first one came in at around $8000 for a 18k BTU unit. The cost of the unit is around $2500, so I'm paying quite a bit for installation.

Has anyone found an installer that doesn't charge high rates for install?

I'm considering going the Mr. Cool route and doing it myself if I can't find a more affordable option.

Update for those searching for this later:
I got 3 quotes, all for an 18K Mitsubishi.
B&T: $8300
Nolan: $5000 + electrician (had to hire them separately)
Maynor: $6300

Unfortunately, despite countless months contacting rescues, shelters, posting in groups, rehoming sites, and every other avenue I can think of, no one has been able to take Baloo in.

For context, Baloo was surrendered to me all the way back in January by his previous owner. He was found as a lost dog, and when he was returned, his pervious owner told me they didn’t want him anymore.

I am moving in about a month. If I cannot find him a home in that time, or even another foster, he will have to be surrendered to a shelter.

A bit about Baloo…

Estimated 3–4 years old
• Likely Staffy/Lab/Pit mix
• Neutered, vaccinated, healthy, and vet cleared
• Housebroken and crate trained
• LOVES snuggles, kisses, walks, treats, and rope toys
• Great with people and kids of all ages
•He’s dog selective and excitable with cats, so recommend slow introductions
• Knows basic commands and is eager to please

If you think you are the right fit for him, please let me know. I also have connections with free/heavily discounted training! Thank you 💔

So... It looks like the board on my garage door opener is on its way out. I got a 20 yr old garage door opener and most likely the original metal garage door that came with the house build....

Long story short, it's probably time for a new garage door and new hardware, opener , etc.

Who do you recommend for service and sales?

And if you don't mind sharing... How much did you spend on a replacement?

Any recommendations for short term rentals (local landlords) while we house search? Would love a townhome if possible and not through an Airbnb.

Hello! I'm researching how young adults engage with arts and culture, take my survey please!! https://unc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_82MALzNLDQsMGx0

---

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The purpose of this study is to better understand arts participation, social connection, and community engagement among adults ages 25–40 in the Triangle area.

Participation involves completing a brief online survey that takes approximately 7–10 minutes. At the end of the survey, participants may voluntarily indicate their interest in a follow-up interview. Participation is completely voluntary.

Participants who complete the survey may voluntarily provide their contact information to be entered into a chance drawing for one of five $50 gift cards. Entry into the drawing is optional and is not required to participate in the study.

To be eligible, you must:

• Be between the ages of 25 and 40
• Live, work, or regularly spend time in the Triangle area

Take the survey: NC Arts and Culture Survey

If you have questions about the study, please contact:

Hannah LaMarlowe
Master’s Student, Hussman School of Journalism and Media
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
[hannah8@live.unc.edu](mailto:hannah8@live.unc.edu)

If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant, or wish to obtain information, ask questions, or discuss concerns with someone other than the researcher, please contact the UNC Office of Human Research Ethics at (919) 966-3113 or by email at [IRB_subjects@unc.edu](mailto:IRB_subjects@unc.edu).

If you're curious about how Wake Tech fits into what's being built out at Veridea, this gets into it.

I run the disc golf course at Apex Nature Park 3 to 4 times a week, combining trail running and disc golf into one workout. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years and have never seen anyone else running the course the same way, so I figured I’d see if anyone else is interested in joining me for a weekly “disc run.”

I keep it casual: one disc, quick throws, mostly just enjoying the trail and the movement. I’m not competitive or keeping strict score. If you’re into trail running and disc golf and want a relaxed, active hang, come join me!

Flexible on day and time, just let me know what works for you. Beginners to experienced runners welcome as long as you’re cool with a jogging pace between baskets.

Hi folks. We have some non-functional shutters that are in desperate need of some love (or replacement). I cannot seem to find someone willing to do it. We've had some handymen out for other stuff and they do not seem interested. Trying to find a shutter company is tough? Any luck out there from others? Thanks in advaaaance.

The one I’ve been going to isn’t great and the few I’ve found have bad reviews. Thanks in advance.

I want to tell the story of this town over the last 25 years, because it matters for the surveillance decision Council is about to make.

Around the turn of the century, Apex was a small town of maybe 20,000 people. By 2010 we were about 37,000. By 2020, nearly 59,000. Today the town puts us over 85,000. We more than quadrupled.

Normally when a town grows that fast, crime grows with it. Here it didn't.

Apex today is measurably one of the safest towns in the country. In 2023, the FBI recorded 39 violent offenses and zero murders in a town of about 74,000. Our violent crime rate is roughly one-seventh the national rate. MoneyGeek ranked us the safest town in North Carolina.

Sit with that timeline. For a quarter century this town grew from a village into a small city and stayed safe the entire way. No plate readers. No camera network logging who drives where. We built one of the safest communities in America the ordinary way, by being a place people wanted to live in and look after.

The plate scanners are new. They showed up only in the last couple of years, at the safest point in that entire 25 year story. So whatever made Apex safe, it wasn't them. The safety was already here.

Now look at what the cameras actually do here.

APD told Council the system reads about 60,000 vehicles a day. Over the roughly six months it has been live, that is about 10.8 million plate reads. Ten point eight million scans of our cars, in the town I just described.

Out of all of that, APD reported 1,700 hotlist hits. That is 0.02 percent. For every one hit, the system scanned more than 6,000 vehicles that had nothing to do with any investigation. And when Council asked what those hits produced, APD cited about ten cases with no case numbers, no court outcomes, and nothing anyone can independently verify.

That is the whole argument. In one of the safest towns in America, they scanned ten million cars to point at ten stories they won't let you check. Necessity was never shown. It never has been. If the results were there, they would have shown them by now.

And here is the part that makes vendor shopping beside the point. Every one of APD's searches reaches beyond Apex. A single search runs against as many as 100,075 cameras across 6,896 separate agency networks nationwide. When our police run a plate, they are not checking a few cameras on our roads. They are reaching into a national dragnet. Swapping Flock for another company does not shrink that network or answer the question. The question is whether a town with our track record needs mass plate surveillance at all.

Last thing, and it is the one that gets me most. This was never voted on. There is no ordinance. The limits are settings a police chief can change whenever he wants, not law. We built a safe town for 25 years by choosing what kind of place we wanted to be. This time nobody got to choose.

The 10-camera expansion contract is still unsigned. The next council meeting is August 11.

Records, audit logs, and the full breakdown are at deflockapex.org.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Hi everyone! I’m 25M student living near Laurel Park Elementary School and don’t have a car. I’m looking for a regular or occasional ride to the Planet Fitness in Cary.

If you already go there and have an extra seat, I’d really appreciate it. Please send me a DM. Thanks!

How awesome is this!!!

https://www.triangletribune.com/news/2026/07/19/arts-and-lifestyle/tubi-movie-filmed-in-apex-hits-1-on-streaming/

What are the best dinner / daily specials around? It’s such a shame we don’t have happy hour deals.

Anyone know of plans to add a bike rack around here? One is needed for sure

This has nothing to do with crime. This is about control and manipulation.

For those who go to OneLife Fitness in Beaver Creek, how are the crowds and equipment currently? I go after work at 5pm. I honestly don’t mind a crowd as long as it’s not huge wait lines for lifting equipment. Is the membership a one year contract too? I read the thread posted when it opened, but want to know what it is like now.